Medical malpractice claims hundreds of thousands of lives each year. Unfortunately, many states (including Michigan) have damages caps that prevent victims and survivors from receiving a full measure of compensation. A ballot initiative in California – Prop 46 – is looking to raise caps in that state from $250,000 to over $1 million for noneconomic damages. The original $250,000 cap was established in 1975 and has not been increased with inflation.
Initiative Targets Impaired Doctors
One of the most frightening statistics is the number of doctors who abuse drugs and alcohol while on the job. Impaired doctors jeopardize the lives of their patients and often go undetected. Prop 46 would require random drug and alcohol testing for doctors.
Vigorous Support and Opposition
Opponents of Prop 46 have spent about $60 million to oppose the measure. Supporters, including California political heavyweight Senator Barbara Boxer, seem to have the edge. A recent poll indicates 58% of voters back the initiative.
recently named in the 2009 edition of Best Lawyer's In America, David Mittleman has been representing seriously injured people since 1985. A partner with Church Wyble PC—a division of Grewal Law PLLC—Mr. Mittleman and his partners focus on medical malpractice, wrongful death, car accidents, slip and falls, nursing home injury, pharmacy/pharmacist negligence and disability claims.
4 Comments
jc
Prop 46 is initiative legislation gone wild! So I am a California doc at home and I cannot have a glass of wine at dinner because the police could knock on my door and demand a urine specimen? Come on....this is where the plaintiff attorney propaganda leads us?
jc
Doesn't this bother anyone? Random drug and alcohol tests on law abiding doctors because they are doctors?
jc
Shouldn't we also do random drug and alcohol testing on policemen, firemen, nurses, defense lawyers and politicians too? After all, all these people deal with the public and their actions under the influence could adversely affect people's lives.
thearb
Workplace drug testing has been routine in many industries for decades. Airline pilots and truck drivers are regularly tested, along with many other professionals. It is not something new, just new perhaps to doctors. No one will knock at your door with a jar.
We don’t want drunk drivers on our roads, we don’t want a drunk flying the plane we’re in, and I, for one, don’t want an impaired surgeon poking around inside me.
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